Alexander Van de Putte, a Senior Director and Operating Officer at PFC Energy International, discusses how "givens" and "wildcards" will influence future global energy needs.

He defines "givens" as low-uncertainty, high-impact events such as climate change, demographics, and hydrocarbon supply, all of which significantly affect energy production. "Wildcards," conversely, are low-probability, high-impact events that must be logical and explainable.

Van de Putte proposes the BRINKS nations (Brazil, Russia, Iraq, Nigeria, and Kazakhstan) and nuclear energy as the primary wildcards.